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DEARBORN, Mich., June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Social engagement is helping to fuel an 18 percent sales jump for Mustang in 2012
More than 4.1 million fans have already built dream Mustang using the Customizer
New enhanced and celebrity battle modes will let Facebook users cast ballots for their favorite custom Mustang
Four fans will win the fantasy Mustang they build in the Customizer
Over its nearly 50-year run, the Ford Mustang has sold more than 8.5 million examples and earned status as an American icon. In the parallel world of social media, its presence is even bigger and about to get bigger still.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120621/DE28689 )
To coincide with the new 2013 Mustang now hitting the road, Ford is relaunching its popular Mustang Customizer with a host of new features, such as enhanced battle modes, badges and stats as well as an opportunity for four lucky fans to win either a Mustang V6, GT, Boss 302 or Shelby GT500.

"Since the Customizer was originally launched in September 2011, more than 4.1 million different variations of the Mustang have been built by more than 1 million unique visitors," said Lee Jelenic, Ford marketing communications manager. "We're having great success in social marketing by actively engaging our fans and it's helping to fuel the recent Mustang sales resurgence with sales up 18 percent so far in 2012."
Customers consistently highlight design and personalization as the top reasons to buy a Mustang. The Customizer gives users a way to craft the look of their favorite ride and compare it with their friends.

Through customer research, Ford learned that for Mustang owners, present and future, Customizer was the perfect mechanism to hand the brand over to them. Ford created a rare opportunity for customers to have a meaningful and authentic experience with the product, without having to get them behind the wheel.

The Customizer, available as an app for iPhone, iPad and Android in mid-summer and online at http://www.ford.com/cars/mustang/customizer/, allows fans to choose a Mustang V6, GT, Boss 302 or the new 662-horsepower Shelby GT500. They can then apply a dizzying array of colors, graphics, body kits and wheels to achieve the look they want. If the standard color palette doesn't have anything that looks just right, fans can even use the sliders to blend custom hues.

To make sure the final design looks just right, users can view the car from five different directions with a variety of backdrops and even add some burnouts.

"Fans can save their finished fantasy Mustang to a computer to use as desktop wallpaper or share to their Facebook account and enter into the battle mode," said Brian McClary, Ford digital marketing manager. "The battle mode pits the designs head to head, where more than 5.1 million battle votes have already been cast."
Since the special parts and graphics are available off the shelf, these custom Mustang don't have to remain virtual. Customers can head down to their local Ford dealer and order a Mustang of their own exactly as they built it in the Customizer, except for the unique paint colors.

"We've significantly upgraded the Customizer this year," added McClary. "The original battle mode has been enhanced, and we've added celebrity battles, smack talk capability, new user stats and leader boards, badges and points for the activities on the site and apps."
Earlier this year, a special Mustang TV commercial highlighted some of the possibilities of the Customizer. Click here to view the Mustang Inner TV ad: http://youtu.be/HiyhXf_KVc0.

Over the rest of year, Ford will further sweeten the pot by selecting four dream Mustangs and building them for the creators. Ford will give away one unique Mustang V6, GT, Boss 302 and a Shelby GT500.

About Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.